Play Up Sky Blues: Champions 1967: Coventry City's Rise to the Top

2017 | Sport & Leisure

Play Up Sky Blues tells the story of Coventry City's finest season when they reached the First Division for the first time in the club's history. Under their charismatic manager Jimmy Hill, the Sky Blues had narrowly missed out on promotion in 1966 and, strengthened by the arrival of record signing Ian Gibson, were the favourites to go up the following season. The story tells how, after a mixed start, the team had a crisis in October with Hill and Gibson falling out and the Scot asking for a transfer - at which point the team was dumped out of the League Cup by Third Division opposition. For a time 'JH' was under pressure until he and 'Gibbo' settled their differences, and the fans' hero was recalled. His return sparked a run of 25 unbeaten games and secured promotion. With success guaranteed, the 'Midlands Match of the Century' with Wolves would decide the title: over 51,000 watched as the Sky Blues triumphed and went on to clinch the Second Division championship.

Jim Brown (Author)